UPA Presidential nominee accused of shielding brother in murder case

New Delhi, Jun 22 (UNI) The widow of a Congress leader in Maharashtra today alleged that the brother of UPA Presidential nominee Pratibha Patil had murdered her husband and that she shielded him in the case.

Mrs Rajni Patil, widow of slain Congress leader from Jalgaon (Maharashtra) V Patil, claimed at a press conference here that Mrs Pratibha Patil's brother was behind the murder of her husband as he had contested the district Congress presidential election against him in 2005.

Accusing the former Rajasthan Governor of shielding her brother as a result of which the case did not move further, Ms Rajni Patil said since Mrs Pratibha Patil held a high position, the police did not take up the case ''seriously''.

Displaying newspaper clippings to support her claim, she said she had met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in connection with the case and even submitted a memorandum to the President regarding the September 21, 2005 murder.

Meanwhile, the Congress rubbished the allegation made by Mrs Rajni Patil, saying it was ''a dirty ploy by the Opposition to mar the prospects of the UPA nominee'' in the Presidential poll.

Earlier this week also, Mrs Pratibha Patil had courted a controversy by observing that 'purdah' in India was started to protect women from Mughal invaders.

UNI